6 Most Important Ways to Pray for Police Officers

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Now, more than ever, law enforcement needs our prayers. If you want to pray for police officers, here are the top 6 things they’re most in need of!

It’s amazing how much law enforcement does for us that isn’t recognized. To think about someone who puts themselves in danger to save others – on a regular basis? And the fact that they go from call to call without much of a break between, usually regardless of how difficult the previous one was (emotionally or physically.)

It’s something I can scarcely imagine.

And even though being in law enforcement has always been hard, it’s even harder in a society that isn’t super police-friendly. In fact, at times it feels like a war against cops. It can be incredibly disheartening to imagine the full extent of what they’re up against.

If you’re a supporter of law enforcement, the situation might leave you wondering how you can help.

The best way to start, in my opinion, is by praying. It’s not only simple, but it’s also free – and has the potential to be extremely powerful. But you might be wondering, how should I pray for police officers?

The answer is, there are lots of ways to pray for law enforcement. If you’re looking for the specific things they most stand in need of, however, this list will help you out.

6 Most Important Ways to Pray for Police Officers

Discernment

“Whoever is wise, let him understand these things; Whoever is discerning, let him know them For the ways of the LORD are right, And the righteous will walk in them, But transgressors will stumble in them.”

—Hosea 14:9

There are so many uncertain situations police officers face. From domestic disputes, to traffic stops, to talking to people in trouble, it’s hard for them to know what’s true and what’s false. While it’s often pretty obvious who’s lying (“these aren’t my pants!”), that isn’t always the case. They need a spirit of discernment to know who to believe.

There are also situations when they’ll have to make split-second decisions with possible life-altering consequences for everyone involved. They’re very much in need of discernment to know the best decision to make in these situations, especially.

Physical and Emotional Safety

“Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for you are with me; your rod and your staff they comfort me.”

—Psalm 23:4

Speaking of situations involving split-second decisions, police officers are often in harm’s way – whether it’s from someone targeting them directly or by being in the middle of a violent domestic dispute. They are trained to run toward situations most people would run away from, and while they have equipment to help protect them, their personal safety is always at risk.

On top of that, PTSD is common in law enforcement officers because of all the ugliness they see, and suicide is on the rise. They respond and arrive to the raw, unvarnished, terrible situations that most of us can scarcely imagine. While their physical safety is more obviously at risk, their emotional safety is important to pray for, too.

Pray for police officers’ relationships with their spouses and children, their extended families, and their friends. Pray that they will know how to connect with their loved ones and that their loved ones will respond with love and understanding.

Also, pray for the health and well-being of their loved ones – because they are under tremendous stress, as well. Their spouses, their parents, their best friends, their sons, their daughters – those are the ones with their lives on the line for those who aren’t always so grateful for it. They need love and comfort, too!

Hope

“But those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.”

—Isaiah 40:31

Police officers see so much of the bad in the world. They see people hurting others, people making the same mistakes over and over and over again, and they see people appear to get away with their misdeeds. It can take its toll on a person and make them jaded.

They need the hope that people can change, that there’s more good in the world than bad, and that they really are making a difference – even if it’s just a small one.

Comfort

This goes hand-in-hand with hope. When they’re trying to clear their mind of the horrible things they’ve seen, the things that are impossible to make sense of, they’re very much in need of comfort. Heavenly Father knows the things they’ve seen and how badly they hurt. Pray that He will comfort them and help the emotional scars heal as quickly as possible.

Unfailing Faith

“In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.”

—Ephesians 6:16

Police officers are in need of a witness of God’s hand in all things. They need to have a deeper conviction that He is always good, even (especially!) when the world is not. They are in need of the faith to reach out and seek him so they can understand His plan.

Having a strong sense that there is more than this world, that God will ultimately mete out justice as necessary, and that the world doesn’t have to be on his or her shoulders is the only thing that’s going to get them through their career emotionally and spiritually intact.

If you want a printable cheat sheet for how to pray for police officers, click the image below to download (totally free!)

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